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Helmling · Jul 27, 2005, 10:12 PM

Where can I go to start learning how to do all this stuff?

Specifially, I'd love to have the transparent finder windows I saw someone have. I'd love to get a nice set of icons--especially something to replace the stupid Finder happy face. Stuff like that...

I downloaded ShapeShifter, but don't like any of the packaged themes that came with it.

Anyone willing to help a pathetic newbie here?

sweetymac · Jul 27, 2005, 10:29 PM

hi
im new to mac myself...but you can get some cool themes, icons and wallpapers n all t ypes of things at this cool site:

http://www.guikit.com/

Also for more icons check out :
http://interfacelift.com/icons-mac/
http://www.pixelgirlpresents.com/icons.php
http://www.widgetwidget.com/
http://www.iconfactory.com/

Another one is:

http://www.resexcellence.com/

Don't know if you got candybar but its awesome to change icons with, also cleardock from unsanity is nice, it can make your dock transparent...i dont know how to make the finder window transparent, im sure someone here will let you know.

Well I hope you find some nice things and post your screenshot on the screenshot thread
Good luck!

sweetymac · Jul 27, 2005, 10:31 PM

Oh ya to change system icons such as finder, trash, sys preferences etc you do need candybar but you can use shapeshifter when you go to the apply function there are icon sets that come with your guikit so you can use that, but i prefer to use candybar to change icons.

eyevaan · Jul 28, 2005, 09:21 AM

all the recommended URLs are good - there is one other I would add:
http://www.macthemesforums.net

ShapeShifter will do everything. Just drop the iContainer on the icon section of the Pane and apply changes. Many of the kits have icon sets already built for them. One note, in case you had not figured it out yet, you don't have to use the icon set from the installed guikit... so you can have Sweet Slumber Coma running with Fear Platinum icon set and Somatic's cursor [if you have MightyMouse installed too]

Have fun! stay in touch and post screenies in the The Offical OS X Customizations Screenshot Thread!
see you in the ether...

Helmling · Jul 28, 2005, 07:34 PM

How do you move the dock around? I've seen it left or right justified on the bottom...how's that done?

Helmling · Jul 28, 2005, 08:23 PM

And I couldn't see how or where Shapeshifter could make the Finder window background transparent? Anyone?

digitaljames · Jul 28, 2005, 08:25 PM

It can't be done. Show us a screen of what your talking about.

Helmling · Jul 28, 2005, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by digitaljames

It can't be done. Show us a screen of what your talking about.

here's one

I suppose i should ask ultraman how he did it...

Also, what are those little read outs running on people's desktops...like what iTunes is playing and stuff like that? Where does one find those and how do they work?

Helmling · Jul 28, 2005, 09:30 PM

Nevermind, he's faking it...they're just snips of his wallpaper, so if he moves those windows, the effect is lost.
Drat.

I have about 170 images from the National Geographic Photo of the Day archive rotating on my desktop and I'd love to see more of 'em! Maybe Apple will build transparent windows into the next big cat...

plastiqueusa · Jul 28, 2005, 11:59 PM

Maybe you're looking for something like this:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/13990

You could also download Konfabulator (it's free now) and use multiple instances of the picture frame widget to view your pictures on the desktop.

sweetymac · Jul 29, 2005, 12:23 AM

Hi
To move your dock to different positions you can use tinkertool. It will let you move your dock to the bottom right corner or left corner etc...here is the link:

http://www.bresink.de/osx/TinkerTool.html

For getting your dock transparent you can use cleardock by unsantiy or transparent dock, i dont know about this transparent finder thingy you are talking about, sorry.

sweetymac · Jul 29, 2005, 12:30 AM

Hi

For itunes if you download konfabulator then you can use this widget called "Sputnik", you can search for it in the widget gallery, and if you search just "itunes" it will show you a bunch more. I like Sputnik because its just a small jewlcase cd that shows album art which is playing. If your itunes doesnt get all your album art sometimes you can use another app like fetchart to get them from different websites. Also there is another program called synergy which you may want to try you can get it here:

http://wincent.com/a/products/synergy-classic/

Some other ones are sizzling keys or imote or you can use the itunes growl...there are more too!

Anyways good luck! love to see your desktop once your done!

Helmling · Jul 30, 2005, 06:37 PM

Are these basically dashboard widgets that run in the foreground? Are they in Apple's widget gallery or some other location?

Currently I've implemented makki's Alumnite White theme, but I'd like to restore the color to the min, max, close buttons and make the top bar and the dock transparent...how hard is that going to be? I've looked at ThemePark and my initial impression is "very hard."

sweetymac · Jul 30, 2005, 06:43 PM

No the widgets I mentioned are from "Konfabulator", that is a program that you can run widgets on but it is NOT Dashboard. Konfabulator has its own widget gallery on its homepage.

If you have dashboard I'm sure you will be able to find lots of itunes widgets if you search for them.

Helmling · Jul 30, 2005, 07:03 PM

So this Konfabulator has to be running in order to have things like the time in different countries and widgets like that running on your desktop?

bmzollinhofer · Jul 30, 2005, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by Helmling

So this Konfabulator has to be running in order to have things like the time in different countries and widgets like that running on your desktop?

Yes, but it runs in the background. Yahoo just bought it out so you can get it for free at Konfabulator.com.

Helmling · Jul 31, 2005, 12:13 AM

Thanks, got it...but anyone know of a way to get that darned gear thingey out of my menu bar?

Thanks for all the help, guys. I have only two more things on my wishlist...

Gerrit Vanoppen · Jul 31, 2005, 12:22 AM

Go into Konfabulator's package > Contents > Resources, and edit MenuBarIcon.png / MenuBarIconSelected.png

Helmling · Jul 31, 2005, 09:54 AM

I guess I'll leave the gears alone...now I'm working on the transparency.

I don't have photoshop and am not that great with Fireworks in the first place, so I cheated and reverse-engineered from Makki's theme (sorry, hope you don't mind!). I still have a few issues. I've got to fix the iChat bubbles and the volume, but that'll be easy enough. What I don't get is that there are visible squares behind the Konfabulator, iChat, Volume, clock, login and spotlight icons on the menu bar. They're definately transparent, but it seems like they're at a slightly different transparency level.